Missing Jay Slater’s family issues heartfelt statement on Tenerife search team

Jay Slater’s family have issued a new update to those following the case, sharing a heartfelt message on their official social media page about the search for the 19-year-old from Lancashire, who has now been missing for almost three weeks.

Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan shared her gratitude to a local hiking group for their tireless efforts in the search for her missing son. A new post on an official Facebook page for the search for Jay said: “Debbie and family would like to thank the local hiking group who worked tirelessly planning routes and searching for Jay, they are extremely overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness.” .

“Thank you,” the family added as they continue to reckon with their youngest son’s disappearance.

READ MORE: Follow our live blog HERE of the search for Jay

Jay, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, went missing on the Spanish island on June 17. He was last seen leaving the Airbnb around 8am that morning.

The teenager, who was on holiday with friends Lucy Law, 18, and Brad Hargreaves, 19, had earlier partied at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas before leaving the event to return to the rented property. His last known location was Teno Rural Park in the north of the Canary Islands – which was about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.

At around 8.30am on the morning of his disappearance, Jay called Lucy to say he was in the middle of nowhere trying to get home with no water and 1% of his phone battery. That was the last anyone heard from him.

After almost two weeks of hunting the teenager in vast and mountainous terrain, the police called off the ground search for him. On June 30, they said officers would continue to act on any information or other information received, but the active work that had been underway since the apprentice bricklayer was reported missing would cease.

Tonight, The Independent reports that one of Jay Slater’s friends has responded to conspiracy theories circulating on social media. Brad Hargreaves was one of Jay Slater’s friends who traveled with him to Tenerife to attend the NRG music festival – and found himself targeted by internet trolls who abused him.

Brad told his Instagram followers that those who believe he had a role to play in Jay’s disappearance are “beyond me”. He told those creating their own theories about what happened to Jay that they “need to know the facts before they talk rubbish on the internet”.

Brad added that the pair have been ‘mates for years, he came on our first holiday together and unfortunately this happened. We’re not drug addicts or anything…’

Earlier this week, Mark Williams-Thomas, a former British police detective who is helping Jay Slater’s family in Tenerife, claimed the teenager was “scared” when he left the Airbnb and allegedly “took a Rolex” before disappearing .

The investigator said: “We received information to suggest that Jay left the rental property feeling scared and would not return to the rental, although that would have been the best course of action.” The former detective claimed that Jay “posted a Snapchat saying he took a £12,000 Rolex from a person”.

“We have not been able to validate this in regards to a reported theft,” he said in the video. “However, Jay’s friends said he wasn’t going to make this up and the watch was the subject of further conversation between friends.”

The Brit who “was at the Airbnb where missing Jay Slater visited” before he disappeared recently broke his silence – claiming he “walked out of there alive”.

Ayub Qassim claimed he invited the 19-year-old back to the rental property in the north of Tenerife, near the village of Masca, after a rave in the south of the island. Qassim, who allegedly booked the £40-a-night flat under the name Ayub Abdul, spoke amid widespread speculation as to why Jay returned there and why he left with his phone on 1% battery and without water. .

Qassim said he was “doing Jay a favor” by letting him stay at the apartment – called Casa Abuela Tina. Speaking to Mail Online, the 31-year-old said: “He came into my Airbnb alive and left my Airbnb alive.”

According to reports, Qassim was jailed nine years ago for masterminding a sophisticated operation to flood Wales with Class A drugs. Spanish police have already spoken to him and the unnamed friend he was traveling with – although officers on the ground said the pair were “irrelevant” to the investigation.